We Came As Romans @ The Clubhouse

Metal has probably produced more legitimate subgenres than any other branch of rock. Yet, for the most part, these offshoots have remained fairly true to the genre's roots, especially visually: Grizzled, long-haired dudes in black leather playing brutal music. But then we have metalcore and bands such as We Came As Romans. These apples have fallen far from the tree — the current template has black leather and dirty denim replaced by skinny jeans and neon T-shirts. The long hair and beards have been replaced by smooth faces and the same swooping long hair that every teenager in America seems to have these days. Though the look has changed, the sound is still relatively the same. On WCAR's latest record, To Plant a Seed, the band delivers plenty of heavy riffs and low, grumbling screaming from vocalist David Stephens but also mixes in some emo-y vocals from other singer Kyle Pavone. The band also tries to convey a positive message in their music, which often leads to the belief that they're a Christian band, though they maintain they are not. One thing is for sure, however: This is not your father's metal band. — Mike Escoto